Always
by HannahLouiise
Summary: Set after episode 5. Molly returns from Afghanistan to be reunited with her true love; but can the couple's relationship survive outside of war?
1. Chapter 1

Always

One-Shot. The time between Molly's tour alone in Afghan and the long wait to be reunited with her love. Set after Episode 5.

* * *

><p>She hadn't seen him since that wonderful, wonderful night they spent together in Bath.<p>

It seemed so long ago now. Three months seems to drag when you're separated from the one you want most.

Private Molly Dawes smiled to herself as she carried his latest letter back to her tent, hoping to read it in some relative privacy. It was late at night, and she was relieved to see the female tent was deserted as she sat down on her bed. Well it made sense it was empty – months after drawdown only a few soldiers remained in Camp Bastion now. Most were there, like Molly, to educate Afghan troops and to help the country restore some normality.

Molly leaned against her pillow and slowly opened the envelope. Her heart fluttered as it always did when she thought of him, as she read his perfect handwriting, savouring his words. He wrote about his life in Bath, how his rehab was going and told stories of her former 2 Section. He even mentioned his son, Sam, had asked about her. That had brought a lump to her throat. But it was the last few lines which caused tears to sting her eyes.

_Just one more week until I see your beautiful face again._

_Love you always,_

_Captain Charles James._

She closed her eyes. She missed him so much, and now there was only a week until she saw him again.

Molly was proud of her decision to come back to Afghanistan and she knew Charles was too. She hadn't felt normal, felt right being back home. She felt it was her duty to return and do whatever she could to help. She even saw Bashira a few weeks ago, something she once never thought she would be able to do. To see her safe, to see her happy, had given Molly a sense of peace, that this wasn't all for nothing. Some of the guilt had even faded.

She just wished Charles could have shared the experience with her. As her tiredness overcame her, she pictured her love as she slowly drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

* * *

><p>"Remember, stay focused, stay alert, and stay alive."<p>

Molly repeated her Captain's words to her final group of Afghan medics. She was greeted to a round of applause from her mentees and she smiled back at them. To her surprise the last week of her short tour had flown by and she was finally heading home. In her eagerness her kit was already packed and ready for the UK.

A short time later she was sat in the plane to take her home, along with her colleagues. A wave of sadness overcame her as they took off to leave the country that had so many memories for her – both good and bad.

Molly groaned internally at the thought of the 14 hour flight she had home. She pulled a picture from her front pocket to remind herself it was worth it – she and Charles stood outside the grand building where they had been on their first date. A kind passer-by had offered to take a picture of the happy, young couple. She chuckled at the sight of his clumpy boot and wondered if he still had to wear it; even though admittedly she had found his limp endearing.

The three months they had been apart were difficult. Being in Afghanistan without him was difficult. She missed his touch, his comfort and support; his presence was all she craved right now. The two had emailed often and they even tried to Skype a few times, with varying degrees of success. But her favourite form of communication were always his hand-written letters. They always lifted her spirits even when she had the toughest days.

Her family were waiting for her in the arrivals lounge when they eventually landed in Brize Norton. Her parents swept her up in a big hug, and her Nan kissed the top of her head. Molly was ecstatic to see them, but her eyes couldn't help scanning all the faces in the room. She was just instinctively looking for a tall, dark-haired handsome man…

"He's not here, Mols," Belinda told her, as if her mother could read her mind. Molly's heart sunk, disappointed.

"Dunno what you're talking 'bout," Molly replied defensively, reminding herself they hadn't even said when they were to meet again. She didn't expect him to be there, waiting for her. She shouldn't have expected he'd be there. She pulled her family into another hug. "Now come on you lot let's go home – I'm starved!"

Molly returned home late that night. Her youngest siblings were fast asleep – a Dawes' reunion would have to wait until the morning. She had caught up with the family news on the journey home; though not much had changed.

"Tell you what, I'm bloody knackered," Molly said as she sunk into the sofa.

"Well you have flown halfway around the world," Dave replied with a chuckle as he rolled a cigarette between his fingers. "Go to bed Mols."

She let out a defeated sigh and trudged up the stairs. Barely awake, she sat down on the lower bunk bed she shared with her sister. Molly realised then she had sat on something and reached around to remove the offending object. It was a crisp envelope – she moved closer into the dim light and instantly recognised the hand-writing. Without a further hesitation she opened the letter and to her surprise train tickets fell onto the carpet. She was now suddenly wide awake as she examined the open return tickets from London Paddington to Bath Spa… Charles!

The letter simply said; _Come visit me sometime. _

Her heart was beating erratically from excitement and nervousness, the thought of seeing him again. A shadow fell across the room and Molly looked up to see her mum standing in the doorway.

"Did you know about this?" Molly asked, holding up the letter. Belinda simply smiled and carried on down the hallway.

Molly shook her head in disbelief, her fingers trembling as she pulled on her pajamas. Even though she didn't think she'd be able to sleep after that, she was out of it as soon as she hit the pillow.

* * *

><p>It was the following afternoon. She'd been back in the UK for just over 24 hours, but she knew that this was where she wanted to be most in the world. Molly stood outside the tall white townhouse, gazing up. It was more spectacular than she remembered.<p>

She'd felt guilty leaving her family nearly as soon as she'd been reunited with them, but her mum had insisted she get on the train as soon a she could. Belinda knew how much Molly had missed her former Captain.

Molly took a deep breath as she approached the grand house – she hadn't told Charles she was planning on visiting today so she really hoped he was in. Once she had somewhat calmed herself she knocked on the door and took a step back.

For a split second Molly panicked. What if things weren't the same between them? What if he didn't love her like he did in Aghanistan? What if-

The door swung open to reveal the most beautiful sight she could imagine – Captain Charles James was standing there, a look of slight shock etched on his face. Just seeing him instantly calmed her. He was dressed casually; the chunky boot missing from his foot.

"Miss me?" Molly asked with a cheeky smirk, to which Charles could only chuckle in reply. She ducked under his arm and into his stunning home as he closed the door behind them.

There was a pause as the two looked into each other's eyes – they were together again. It had been three months, but suddenly it felt like they were never apart. Charles took a moment to look at her properly; she was more stunning than he remembered, if that were possible.

He then reached for face, stroking it softly, before he leaned in for sweet kiss. As their lips touched, imaginary fireworks seemed to explode in his head and he deepened the kiss. She returned his affection and eagerly kissed him back, inhaling sharply as they pulled away briefly.

His hands snaked around her waist as she reached around his neck, pulling him closer. She couldn't help but smile. He pulled away after a second more, his forehead touching hers.

"What?" he asked, running a hand gently through her brunette hair.

"Nothing Boss," she teased. "Just I take that as a yes then."

"Oh Dawsey," he replied, grinning. "You have no idea."

* * *

><p>AN Thank you for reading guys! My writing is not the best but I love this couple so much, I just couldn't resist writing a little something! Really hoping for a Season 2 of Our Girl!


	2. Chapter 2

The sunlight trickled through the gaps in the curtains, casting a wonderful light across her naked back. He couldn't help but touch her again, pushing her long locks across her back so he could caress her skin. She was just so beautiful, and last night had been… amazing. The contact awakened Molly from her slumber, and she let out a little groan.

"Sorry, Molly. I didn't mean to wake you, I just couldn't help it," Charles said with a soft chuckle.

Molly turned over so she was facing him. "I'll let you off this time," she joked, moving her hand to lay it on his warm chest. "Besides, I could definitely get used to waking up like this."

She'd had the best night sleep she'd had in months. She dreamed a happy dream, free from the usual nightmares of war that plagued her. Maybe it was being wrapped up safe with her love that had something to do with it.

Charles inched forward to place a peck on her lips, which she very much appreciated. However, when he moved to deepen the kiss Molly broke it off, pushing against his chest. He looked at her, confused.

"As gorgeous as you are I ain't gonna snog you with that morning breath!" she exclaimed with a laugh, rolling over to jump out of bed. She sauntered over to the en-suite bathroom, give her former Captain a lovely view of her bare behind.

"I can never win with you," he replied, sitting up and placing his arms behind his head.

"Hey, I have standards now," she teased, poking her head around the bathroom door. "Is it okay for me to use your shower?"

"Of course Molly; you really don't have to ask. I'll go make some breakfast."

Molly shut the door behind her and switched the shower on. As she waited for the water to heat up, she stood in front of the full length mirror. Her lips were swollen from kissing, her dark hair tangled; all the signs of a good night.

Molly stepped under the spray. It was possibly the best shower she'd ever had in her life. Sometimes she couldn't believe she had got the guy – Molly Dawes, the girl with no GCSE's who grew up in a council house ended up with Captain Charles James, the man who came from a very well off family who was educated at Eton and who grew up in a beautiful home. They had grown up in completely different worlds, only brought together by war. Molly smirked to herself at the thought.

She squirted shampoo into the palm of her hand and ran it through her hair. The difference between the two honestly terrified her, and she often worried if, outside of Afghanistan, their relationship could survive. She thought about Charles' words back at the FOB, how it was all down to Lady Luck – where you're born and who you're born to. Luckily Lady Luck had been smiling down on her lately, and Molly sincerely hoped she would continue to.

She enjoyed her shower and certainly took her time. It was nice to not have her siblings or parents yelling at her through the door to hurry up. It was good to have some peace.

Molly left the shower a few minutes later and dried herself off using the towels Charles had laid out for her. She peaked out the door into the room but Charles was nowhere to be seen. She padded over to her bag, clutching the towel tight around her torso. She found some clean underwear in the bottom of the bag and pulled it them on, along with a casual shirt and her jeans from the previous day.

She wandered down the grand staircase, stopping to admire the photos and paintings that adorned the walls. There were many pictures of Charles – mostly in his army gear.

She even found one of her platoon before they were drafted out to Afghan. She was in it. Molly had never seen this photo and she remarked how tiny she actually looked surrounded by all those huge men. She remembered that morning well – she had made a right muppet of herself in front of her new captain. Of course it was all in the past now, but the memory still made her kick herself inside. She decided to move on to the other photos.

A few were from his school years, especially toward the bottom of stairs. Molly stood to look at a picture of a very young Charles standing with who she assumed were his parents in the very picturesque country. The man looked very much like him, but older, with greying hair. He was good looking in an older man George Clooney-esque sort of way. The male side of the family had obviously dominant genes for stunning strong jawlines and dark curly hair. Charles had an adorable cheeky grin plastered on his face, something she couldn't help giggling at.

"Something you find funny?" Charles asked, leaning against the doorway. She smiled at him but didn't respond to his question.

"Are these your parents?" Molly asked, indicating toward the picture.

"Yes," Charles replied, reaching forward to take Molly's hand. "I want them to meet you. Soon."

Molly hesitated, unsure. Charles caught it straight away. "What's wrong?"

"I just… don't know. You know, if they'd like me. I'm guessing I'm not like the other girls," Molly said with a shrug, not meeting his eye.

His hand moved to her chin and tilted it upwards so she was looking at him. "No you're right, you aren't like the other girls; you're a million times better." He paused to place a peck on her lips. "Anyway they'll love you I'm sure. Just like I do."

"Really?"

"Really. Now let's eat some breakfast."

* * *

><p>Molly couldn't believe what a fantastic cook Charles was. He'd made eggs and bacon and pancakes and it was all delicious. Molly ate as much as much as she could before slumping back in her chair, defeated.<p>

"I'm never gonna be able to eat the army breakfast ever again after that," Molly announced, jokingly patting her stomach.

"It wasn't that amazing," Charles said with a grin, moving some plates off the island they were sat at. Molly watched him, smiling without even realising. She stood up and moved behind him as he loaded plates into the dishwasher, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her head against his back. He stopped moving and lay the plates on the side.

"I can't believe you're here," she whispered softly. He turned around to face her.

"Sometimes I can't believe you're here," he returned, stroking her face. "There was a time, when I was lying in that hospital bed, that I never thought I would ever see you again. Then when I woke up in Birmingham, and you were there… I thought I was hallucinating. I thought to myself there's no way she could be here."

"You were pretty drugged up," Molly said with a laugh. "And I was there. Of course I was there. I was just so scared…"

Her eyes were stinging with tears. She moved away to rub her eyes. She didn't want him to see her upset.

"Shh," he mumbled softly. "It's okay Molly. I'm here now, and I am never going to leave you again. I promise."

He held out his little finger.

"Seriously?" Molly laughed. "A pinky promise? How old are you again?"

"Shut up and do it, Dawes," he replied.

She gave in and wrapped her pinky around his.

"So, what we doing today then?" Molly asked, taking a sip of her brew.

"Well unfortunately I didn't realise you'd be visiting me so soon. I kind of thought you'd be with your family for a few days," he explained as he took a sip of his Rosabaya. "I have a meeting I have to attend to this afternoon about starting work again… but I'm free all this morning. We could go for a walk through the meadows?"

"I don't know about that… trees give me the willies," Molly told him simply. He couldn't help but laugh.

"Trust me, you'll love it."

* * *

><p>It had been a lovely morning, Molly had to admit. She had grown up surrounded by ugly grey buildings and council estates, a vast contrast to where Charles had grown up surrounded by green. Maybe one day she'd get used to the countryside.<p>

Molly currently sat in the front room in front of a fireplace, curled up with a brew. Charles said he'd been gone most of the afternoon and early evening, but Molly didn't mind. She had taken advantage of a bit of alone time and had wandered around the house freely, trying to imagine Charles' childhood and his life before the army. She knew Charles was an only child, and he seemed to be his parents pride and honour. Pictures of their grandson, Sam, were scattered around the house. Molly briefly wondered when and if she was going to see him again.

Her phone buzzed next to her and she picked it up, seeing 'Bossman' light up across the screen.

_Sorry Molly, things are running late. Will be back much later than I thought. Don't wait up. Love you xox_

Molly sighed. She couldn't really get annoyed at him. After all he didn't realise she would be here. It was just a shame they had barely spent any time together. Her mum had been asking her when she was coming home so she could throw her a welcome home party and spend time with her family. Molly had eventually given in and said she'd come home the following day, but now she wished she hadn't.

She yawned and tried to fight the tiredness that overcame her. Her jet lag had finally caught up with her and she felt so exhausted. She always needed a couple of days to set her body clock back to normal.

She decided to busy herself and make dinner for them. In the huge kitchen she searched for ingredients to make something homely – she decided on making a classic cottage pie.

After she had eaten, washed up and cleared the entire kitchen, as well as putting a portion for Charles in the fridge ready to be eaten, Molly made herself comfortable in front of the television with a brew. She flicked through the million channels the James' seemed to have, and decided to settle on _Eastenders. _Even though he had said not to, she was sure there was no way she would be able to go to sleep without him.

The warm fire and her full belly made her eyes feel heavy and she decided to rest her eyes for just a minute.

* * *

><p>Charles looked at the clock on the car as he pulled into his parking spot. It was quarter to midnight. He groaned, annoyed that his meeting had run so late. Some new orders sent down from the MoD required an urgent response, and so he had offered to help some of his colleagues with it – bad mistake. But he couldn't turn down the opportunity to try and impress those above him. It took so long to sort he never even had his meeting about returning full time to training new recruits.<p>

He opened the front door and saw most of the lights were still on. There was a delicious smell coming from the kitchen and he followed it; his stomach grumbled at the thought of food. He'd had nothing but coffee all afternoon. He saw a pile of clean plates and pots and pans on the dryer, a sight he thought he was strange. Did Molly not realise he had a dishwasher? In the fridge he found the cause of the smell – a serving of what looked like cottage pie. He decided to come back for it once he had found his girl.

He could hear a faint buzzing and followed the sound to the living room. He realised the television had been left on – it seemed like some political program. Then he saw Molly, curled up in a ball fast asleep on the sofa. His heart beat faster. She was just so beautiful. The fire was long burnt out, just a few smouldering remains.

She looked so peaceful; he didn't want to wake her. But he couldn't leave her down here all night. He crouched down in front of her and gently touched her shoulder.

"Molly? Baby?"

She groaned softly and opened her eyes. "Charles? What are you- oh? Shit did I fall asleep?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, you must have done. Didn't think you'd be the kind of person to watch _Question Time_," he teased.

"Oh you know me, I love a good political debate," she joked, stretching her body. She'd fallen asleep in a very awkward position and now her neck hurt as a result. She rubbed it gently and groaned again.

"How about you come to bed with me? There may even be a neck massage in it for you," he said cheekily, holding out his hand for her. She took and he pulled her up, her body falling against him. She tilted her head upwards and planted a soft kiss on his lips. He was expecting it to be just a peck, but then she wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.

Charles responded and returned the kiss, tasting her. He ran his hands through her long hair and her hands snaked down his abdomen. Things were suddenly heating up and he span her around, pushing her against the wall. Molly loved it when he became dominant and smiled into the kiss. His hands fell down her to her buttocks and he pulled her up, Molly wrapping her legs around his waist.

She exhaled sharply as he trailed kisses down her neck, sucking gently at her collarbone. This was the sort of thing she imagined doing when they were at Bastion and she couldn't believe her fantasies - the ones that had got her through some of the toughest times in Afghanistan, imagining what the two would be when they returned home – were actually come true. She could feel him press against himself against her groin and arousal rushed through her veins.

She went to reach for his belt when suddenly his empty stomach gave an almighty roar. It was louder than anything she'd ever heard before and the sound completely distracted her. She stared at him for a second before she burst out laughing, his face turning red with embarrassment.

"Sorry," he mumbled, trying to laugh along with her. "Haven't had a chance to eat since breakfast."

She untangled her legs from his waist and grabbed his hand. Her face turned from laughter to concern. "Why not you silly sod? Come and eat now – I made you cottage pie!"

He shrugged. "Just had more important things to deal with earlier. I'm okay, really. I'd rather carry on where we were." He tried to move towards her to kiss her but she moved away.

She crossed her arms. "Nope. Go and eat now."

"Molly I'm an adult; I know when I need to eat."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Fine," he gave in, pouting playfully. "Go to bed. I'll be up in a minute."

Charles had been starving – as soon as the pie was in the microwave he remembered how much he needed food and he was secretly glad Molly had made him eat. It was absolutely delicious. And though he would never tell her the truth, it was probably even better than his Mother's.

Once eaten and cleared up after himself, he wandered upstairs to find his girl. He had only been twenty minutes but Molly was already fast asleep. He assumed that the long flight had suddenly caught up with her. He silently got ready for bed and slipped in beside her, trying not to disturb her. But she automatically rolled over in her sleep to cuddle him.

He smiled and leaned down to kiss her head.

"Love you Mols," he whispered into the darkness of the room.

She made a little noise in her sleep before she mumbled back.

"Ditto."

* * *

><p>Hey guys! So I decided to extend this a bit. I've actually had this sitting on my computer for about to week but I didn't want to post it. Basically I have some ideas of a story but I'm not sure about posting anything quite yet until I've worked everything out. I'm also hesitant because I am literally drowning in uni work and I don't want writing to be an easy distraction - So I'm warning nothing else would be posted until end of November when all my assignments are due. Anyway but I decided I may as well post this and see what you think!<p>

I was basically thinking about writing about how they try to adapt to a relationship outside of Afghan and the ups and downs… I'd love to hear your guy's opinions!

Thank you for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Molly had been back in London for an entire week. Her family had kept her plenty busy; everyone in her entire family tree seemed to want to see her and she'd barely had a moment to herself. Two nights ago she'd had a welcome home party in the local with her old friends (of course only those who hadn't slept with her exes were invited) and family – even a few from basic training had managed to make it.

Molly, dressed in her skimpiest dress, had a great night. She along with everyone else had got totally rat-arsed. She had been secretly disappointed Charles wasn't there to begin with, but the next morning when she was nursing her hangover she was glad. She didn't want him to see her and her family in such a state. Her parents especially.

Molly had noticed her dad seemed to be drinking even more than ever since her mum had started working part time as a teaching assistant which greatly saddened her. At the end of what was a great night she arrived home to her parents screaming at each other. It was like she had never even left. Molly had slipped upstairs as quickly as possible, and when she returned less than 5 minutes later to get a glass of water, she found her parents shagging on the sofa.

Yep, she definitely couldn't let Charles meet her dysfunctional family.

Molly and her mother just returned from an afternoon shopping on Oxford Street, coming through her front door carrying a dozen shopping bags.

"I forgot how much I missed Topshop," Molly exclaimed, landing on the chair. She hadn't sat on the sofa since that drunken night, even though she definitely sure that wasn't the first time it had happened.

"I forgot how much my little girl loved to shop," Belinda replied, sticking the kettle on. "You want a cuppa, Mols?"

"Please," Molly called, pulling her phone out her pocket. Her face lit up when she saw she had a text from Charles, she grinned like a child as she replied to his text. Even something as simple as 'how was your day' made her so happy. The relationship just felt so normal, for the first time since they'd got together. She quickly tapped her reply.

"When are we going to properly meet this man of yours then?" Belinda asked. Molly had told her mum about Charles in little pieces, playing down their relationship.

"Not sure," Molly replied, taking the mug Belinda then handed her.

"Charles was his name, yeah? Posh bloke is he?"

Molly wanted to lie or make some jokey sarcastic comment. Instead she shrugged.

Belinda tried again. "He's welcome to come stay whenever. I know we don't have much room here but I'm sure he could sleep on the sofa."

Molly fake gagged. "You're alright, Mum." She then quickly changed the conversation.

Later that evening Molly was on the phone to Charles. She lay on her bed, glad to have some privacy in her shared room. They discussed literally anything and everything, talking for nearly an hour.

"I miss you," Molly said, hoping he would invite her back to his soon.

"Why don't I come visit, then?"

"I don't know," she hesitated. They'd had this conversation many times, with Molly always making some excuse about lack of space or family visiting.

"Then I'll stay in a hotel. There's one pretty close to you with vacancies tomorrow night?"

"No I can't make you fork out money when you could stay at mine for free," she said honestly.

"Great then I'll stay at yours," he replied eagerly.

"Are you sure you want to come here… I mean my family are pretty…"

"I'm sure your family are great."

"I was gonna say fucked up. I mean seriously fucked up," she told him honestly, rolling over to lie on her back.

"You're over exaggerating," he said.

"I wish. How many times have you found your dad so drunk out his nut he's passed out on the toilet? Or walked in on your parents shagging in your own bed, or on the sofa?"

Charles was silent.

"I just don't want you changing your mind about me," she said quietly.

"Nothing ever could. Family is… family. You can't choose family. And I'm sure they'll grow on me," he tried to joke.

Just then three screaming children burst through her door, all trying to tell Molly the others had done something really bad.

"For God's sake I gotta go," she said, trying to calm the shouting.

"So I can come tomorrow then?" Charles asked, Molly barely listening.

She took a deep breath. "Okay, fine."

* * *

><p>Charles pulled his overnight bag closer to his body. He'd been on four tours of Afghanistan but waking through this part of London still made him feel on edge. He felt like he was surrounded by a concrete jungle, high rise flats on every corner of the street. He followed Google Maps on his phone and walked closer to where she lived. He'd never stepped foot on a council state before; it was an entirely new experience. But he tried to approach it all with an open mind.<p>

He walked along the flats until he reached the one of the very end. Children's toys were littered outside the front door. An England flag hung from the window above. Charles gripped the roses in his left hand tighter and knocked on the door.

A woman opened the door and he recognised her from photos. "Mrs Dawes?" he asked tentatively. She nodded and he flashed her his million dollar smile. "My name is Charles James."

She ushered him inside. "Come in love – I've been dying to meet ya!"

He stepped into the small home and tried not to look around too much as Belinda moved to yell up the stairs.

"Oi Molls your bloke is here! And you were right; he's gorgeous!" she called, before turning to Charles. "Can I make you a cup of tea?"

Charles was stunned into silence for a second. "Uhhh... yes please, Mrs Dawes."

"Oh my god Mum you are so embarrassing," Molly said, coming down the stairs. "I'm so sorry." Molly threw her arms around Charles, embracing him. He presented her with the red roses and she thanked him for the kind gesture.

"Mum, where's Dad gone?" Molly asked her mum when she had made tea for three.

Belinda sighed. "He's at the pub Mol. Now, Charles," she began. "Tell me about yourself."

* * *

><p>Charles and Molly walked arm in arm through the streets of London. It was the beginning of November, and there was a serious chill in the air. Molly drew herself closer to Charles in an attempt to warm herself up.<p>

"Sometimes I wish I was still in Afghanistan," she joked. "At least I couldn't get frostbite there!"

Molly had ushered him out the house as soon as they'd finish their tea. Belinda was asking him every question under the sun and Molly could tell he had started to get nervous.

Charles laughed. "I have an idea. Why don't we go out for a really nice dinner tonight? My treat?"

"Yeah that's sounds like it could be fun," she said, glad that at least they would be out the house for most the evening.

They walked past Topshop and Molly automatically paused, eyeing the beautiful dress in the window. She had wanted to buy it yesterday, but even she couldn't reason spending hundreds on an evening dress she'd barely wear. She even went as far to try it on, her mother nearly crying at how stunning she looked. Charles noticed her look longingly at the red garment, before she turned to look at him to carry on walking.

Instead he marched straight into the shop, and asked the assistant at the door to get him that dress.

"Charles, what are you doing?" Molly asked, confused.

"You like it right? I want to give it to you," he explained.

"No, Charles you can't," she said sadly. "It's too much. Really! Have you seen the price tag?"

Then the assistant brought it over and her fingers skimmed the shimmery fabric – it was so beautiful.

"Lovely," Charles said to the assistant. "I'll take it."

Molly crossed her arms in annoyance. "Charles!"

He turned to her. "Think of it as an early Christmas present."

She opened her mouth to argue but she was still mesmerised by the dress as the assistant held it up.

"Fine."

Later that night, Charles waited in the downstairs of the council house. He wore a crisp white shirt and black dress trousers, a blazer resting on the chair. He talked with Belinda about her work; something she seemed very eager to talk about. Although he found her a bit much at first – a bit similar to Molly – he was soon growing fond of her. He had still to meet her dad.

Belinda was in the process of showing Charles some pictures from her school years. He noticed from about the age of eleven she had begun bleaching her dark hair blonde. This was something he had never known about her before. He much preferred her natural colour.

"Mummy look at Molly!" one of her young siblings called, pointing at the stairs.

Charles watched with adoration as Molly walked down the stairs, one black stiletto at a time. The dress fitted her perfectly, as if she was born to wear it. It hugged her curves and showed just the perfect amount to cleavage to drive men's imagination wild.

Her hair tumbled down, pinned to one side and her make-up was just enough to be perfect.

"Oh Molly, don't you look beautiful. All grown up!" Belinda exclaimed, passing her daughter her clutch. "If you'd had told me two years ago you'd be wearing a dress like this going out to that swanky restaurant I would've laughed!"

Molly half-smiled at her mum, ignoring the comment. Instead her attention was on Charles. He looked so blooming handsome she couldn't believe it.

"You ready?" he asked, holding out his arm. "Cab's outside."

* * *

><p>It was a beautiful meal. They'd eaten at one of the poshest restaurants in that side of the city. The food was incredible, the atmosphere was wonderful and the company was just perfect. But surrounded by all the posh toffs, Molly felt like she still stuck out like a sore thumb - even in such an expensive dress.<p>

They had decided to continue their night at a stylish bar a short walk from where Molly lived. They laughed as they clinked their mojitos together.

"I could get used to this," Molly joked, taking a sip of her mojito. "I feel so spoilt!"

The alcohol was going straight to her head, and her lightweight side was certainly coming out.

"You deserve to be spoiled," Charles said, taking a sip of his own. He then placed his hand on hers. "You look so beautiful tonight."

"Well it's quite a difference to full combat kit, isn't it boss?" she teased, her voice low and seductive. The wine from dinner and now the strong cocktails had made her head cloudy with alcohol, and everyone knew when Molly was drunk she became a mega flirt. "Although I must say, there's something about a man in uniform which drives me crazy."

Charles downed his drink, Molly following suit. "Shall we get out of here?" he asked, holding out his hand. Molly silently took it and they headed out into the cold air. They walked hand-in-hand down the still busy street, Molly's stilettos clicking against the concrete.

Charles noticed a few men making double takes on his girl. He drew her closer, snaking his arm around her waist. He so proud to have her on his arm. She turned to look at him and planted a kiss on his cheek.

It was then, out of the corner of her eye she noticed two very familiar but unwanted faces. She paused, her eyes narrowing without her even realising it.

"Molly?" Charles asked, suddenly concerned. He followed her gaze to a man and a woman standing across the street.

"Just some unfriendly faces from my past," she told him, averting her eyes.

The old Molly would have yelled profanities across the street, or maybe even crossed it looking to start a fight. But no, the new Molly was different.

"Want to talk about it?" Charles asked as she set off, a faster pace than before.

"No it's okay it don't matter now," she said, pulling his hand. "Come on, we're nearly home. Are you sure you don't mind staying at mine? It's not exactly the Ritz."

"Yes Molly, of course," he said.

Luckily Molly's sister, Bella, was at a sleepover so her room was empty. Molly and Charles had some relative privacy. They shared the single bottom bunk bed, despite Molly's offering to sleep in her sisters bed.

"Sorry it's a bit tight," Molly apologized. The lack of space had completely ruined the mood. They had begun kissing but then when Molly had tried to move on top of him she had managed to hit her head on the bed above. Yep, complete mood killer.

"It's okay. Bit just like a sleepover," he said with a laugh, holding her closer.

They were speaking quietly when the door downstairs slammed and something smashed. Charles looked alarmed, but Molly just rolled her eyes in the darkness. Steps thudded against the stairs and the door next to Molly's room opened and closed loudly. Voices were heard through the walls, escalating from a quiet conversation to a full blown argument. Belinda and Dave were fighting again, and Molly just sighed, trying to her best to block it out.

"I'm sorry, Charles. I just normally try to sleep through it," she told him.

"Stop apologising, it's fine," her murmured quietly, not sure how he'd manage to sleep. He guessed Molly must be so used to it.

"It's really not. Maybe you should've stayed at a hotel instead," she said with a sigh.

"Molly," he said, his voice serious. "It is fine. Besides, we're going be together a long time. I'm sure I'll be spending a lot of time with them so I may as well get used to them now."

"Really?" she asked softly. The argument next door seemed to be dying down.

"Really." He kissed her head. "Now go to sleep."

* * *

><p>Molly woke early. Ever since she first returned from Afghanistan, she had struggled to get a regular sleep pattern. She put it down to the constant late nights and early starts, and all the mini naps she used to take through the day while on tour. She rubbed her eyes and saw the clock said it was only six-thirty. And yet, she was wide awake.<p>

She looked at Charles – he looked so peaceful in his deep sleep. She decided to slide out of bed and she quietly picked up her running gear from the desk chair.

Dressed, she decided to go for an early morning run around the block. She wandered downstairs to find her dad passed out on the sofa – typical.

Molly loved to run. She would run all day if she could. She found it had helped her deal with some of the struggles from Afghan as well as keep her fitness up. She couldn't wait until Charles' leg was fully healed so they could work out again together, just like when they were at Bastion. He had often given her private PT sessions to help build up her fitness, especially at the start. He had noticed early on that she struggled to keep up with boys' level of fitness, just as a matter of gender. The Captain's additional training had seriously helped. Towards the end of the tour she was probably fitter than half the platoon.

She looped round after a few miles, deciding to stop by a Starbucks on the way home to buy her and Charles a morning coffee. After all he had spent on her yesterday she felt like buying him a coffee was the least she could do.

She stood waiting for her order to be made. The clock on her phone read eight am, so Charles would probably be waking up about now. She would be back just in time.

"Oh, look who it is," a familiar voice called, and Molly turned around. Her former friends stood behind her. Mary wore her tacky nail bar uniform, and Molly flashed back to a time when that was her.

"Mary, Sharon," Molly acknowledged, turning back around. She didn't want anything to do with them.

"So the army didn't work out for you then?" Mary called again, sniggering. Molly tried to ignore them but she couldn't. She plastered a fake smile on her face and turned around.

"Why would you say that?" she asked.

"Well, it's just you must be desperate if you're working as an escort now," Mary explained loudly, causing customers and workers around them to stare at Molly. The smile instantly dropped from Molly's face, replaced by a scowl. She balled her fists.

"What the fuck are you on about?" she said angrily, her voice low to try and disperse the unwanted attention.

Mary looked at her nails casually. "Saw you last night. Walking down the street in that expensive Topshop dress and your slut stilettos with that gorgeous man. He looked well off. He paid for it, did he? In exchange for a wild night with Molly Dawes?"

Molly had to count in her head to stop her from jumping on Mary. Offend her, that was fine, but offend her man? She was mad.

"Like you can talk," Molly returned, wishing her drinks order would hurry up. She had half a mind to run out and go to the other Starbucks down the road instead. But she didn't want to be a coward.

"Not denying it then? I always knew you'd end up as a sex worker. After all, being a slag was the only thing you were ever good at during school."

"Are we completely ignoring the fact you slept with my boyfriend?" Molly asked, raising her voice.

"At least Artan didn't pay me for it," Mary said, laughing along with Sharon.

"That guy last night was my boyfriend," Molly said angrily, trying to defend herself. She was half a second from slapping the little cow.

Mary stepped forward, lowering her voice. "Get real Molly. Like a girl like_ you _could get a guy like _him_."

Just then her drinks order was called. She thanked any Gods that were out there, and swiftly grabbed the plastic cups and left without even looking at the two girls. Their laughs echoed through her ears as she went outside.

As she power walked back to her house, Molly tried hard to keep the tears from falling. She felt so stupid for crying. Why should she care what some stupid girls think?

But maybe they were right. Maybe she really was kidding herself. Her self-confidence was seriously shattered now. She caught her reflection in the window before her house, and took a second to properly at herself. She had gone from the happiest girl on the planet to feeling so shit in 2 minutes. She shifted the cups in her hand to wipe the tears and try to smooth out her skin, drawing in a few deep breaths.

Molly opened the door to find Charles sat downstairs with her younger siblings and mother. He stood when she came in, his smile instantly dropping when he saw she'd been crying.

"Molly?" he asked, concerned. She didn't look at him in the eye, but instead just shoved the coffee cup into his hand, mumbling something about a shower. She went into the bathroom and locked the door firmly behind her.

Charles stood, confused, watching her close herself off from him. He exchanged a worried look with Belinda before he sat back down, having no idea what could have caused her mood to change so dramatically.

Belinda rested her hand on his shoulder gently. "Don't worry love, I'm sure she's fine."

He really hoped she was.

* * *

><p>Okay so I definitely should have been doing work instead of writing this! But I couldn't help myself. Anyway, he's the next chapter. He can kind of see the story develop more here. I wrote it very quickly so I'm expecting there to be a few mistakes! Let me know what you think!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Molly never told Charles what happened in that coffee shop that morning. She didn't want to worry him, after all. She had left the bathroom a short time later, pretending to the happiest girl on the planet again. When he had asked, Molly had made some bullshit excuse about PMS making her hormonal and emotional.

Charles had caught her out instantly – he'd lived with another woman for nearly 5 years, after all. He knew that she was lying and that there was something else, but he made the decision not to press it any further. If she wanted to talk to him about it, she would when she was ready.

It was a few weeks later now, and Molly and Charles had got into a routine of spending the weekend together in alternate cities. Last weekend, however, Charles and Molly had decided to stay in a small B&B close to her home to give them some space from her family. God love them, but sometimes they were too much. Especially her dad.

Charles' first meeting with Molly's dad was an awkward one to say the least. Dave had a major hangover and he really didn't seem in interested in what Charles had to say about his daughter. He barely even made eye contact with him and didn't take Charles' offered hand.

Molly and Belinda had both reassured him that this was nothing personal against him and Dave just needed time to adjust to him. Molly had tried to joke it was probably just because he didn't support West Ham, but Charles wasn't too sure.

Meanwhile, Molly had met his parents and had been more successful. She had been extremely nervous as she walked into the restaurant to meet his parents – the same restaurant Molly and Charles had been on their first official date.

Susan, Charles' mother, seemed like a kind woman. She was a petite blonde lady, smartly dressed in designer clothes. A Chanel bag hung on her arm - Molly was sure it was _real_ Chanel, not like the ones you could buy off the markets in London. She had soft eyes, and had hugged tightly Molly when she first walked through the door. Molly was initially surprised by her display of affection, but she welcomed it.

His father, William, had been a little more difficult for Molly to converse with at first. He was a serious looking man, a stern look on his face, the kind that intimidated average people like Molly. He barely answered her questions. That was, until Charles slyly mentioned her love of football, and they ended up bonding over discussing the previous days' results.

Molly found out his parents were both specialist surgeons. When she wondered where he had gained his love for the army, Charles had explained his Grandfather had served for many decades eventually reaching the rank of Major General, and that his Grandfather's work had been what drove him to aim for army since he was very young.

His parents had shared stories of Charles' childhood – both good and bad – and Susan had promised to show Molly embarrassing photos from his rebellious teenage years later. As they laughed, Charles and Molly locked eyes. He reached his hand under the table to give her a reassuring squeeze. The nerves had all been for nothing.

* * *

><p>They had returned back to the James' beautiful home later that afternoon. As Charles and his father William worked to start the fire in the front room, Molly decided to go find his mother in the kitchen in an effort to get to know her better.<p>

"Can I help you with the tea at all?" Molly asked politely, finding Susan with her back to Molly.

The small blonde woman sniffed before she turned around. "Oh Molly dear. That would be lovely."

"You alright?" Molly asked, looking at her slightly glassy eyes.

"Yes I am. I'm just glad to see Charles so happy. William and I have noticed such a change in him lately," Susan explained, busying herself with the tea.

Molly opened a cupboard to pull out four mugs. "I'm glad you think that, Mrs James. You should've seen him in Afghan though – sometimes he could be so miserable that all our section would say-"

Molly was interrupted by arms enveloping around her neck. Molly stilled for a second as she waited for Mrs James to speak.

"Thank you," she said quietly, nearly whispering it. Her voice sounded as if she was trying hard to hold back tears.

Molly looked at her. "For what?"

"You saved him. You saved my baby."

Molly's heart thumped in her chest. A lump grew in her throat and she tried to push back the tears. In her mind, a vision conjured from his mother's perspective.

_She had saved her son's life._

Molly placed her hand on Susan's. "It was nothing," she tried to explain. "It was my duty. I would've done it for anyone."

"I know," she said, pulling away from Molly. She wiped at her eyes and she gave Molly a warm smile. "I'm sorry," she apologised, laughing a little. "I just can't ever forget. There was a knock at the door; they told us Charles had been shot twice. One in his leg and one in his stomach. They said he'd been resuscitated twice in the Medevac... They told me he was going straight into theatre for emergency surgery. They said it was very serious. In fact, he was lucky to be alive at all."

Molly smiled sadly at Susan.

"They said it was a female medic who'd saved his life. She put herself in danger when there was still an active enemy shooting at them. Her quick and selfless actions stopped him from bleeding out. She gave him a chance to live."

The moment when she thought Charles was going to die flashed through Molly's mind. She couldn't stop herself from crying anymore and her tears streamed freely.

"And I'd do it again in a heartbeat," Molly told her, no word of a lie.

"I can't ever thank you enough for what you did. And now I've finally met you, I can understand why you mean so much to him."

"Thank you. That means a lot," Molly told her honestly. Both woman were crying together, more with happiness and relief than sadness. It was such a traumatic event and Molly was glad she had someone who could understand what she had been through.

Just then, Charles walked through the door, completely oblivious to the world. He saw the two woman in his life crying together and looked at them, concerned.

"What's happened?" he asked.

Both woman looked at Charles and then back at each other, before laughing together. They both sniffed and wiped the tears from their eyes.

"Mum? Molly? Seriously what happened?"

Susan walked over to her son and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Everything's perfectly alright now, love."

He raised an eyebrow, not entirely convinced.

"Now go sit down; Molly and I will bring the tea in a minute."

* * *

><p>Later that night, Molly and James lay in bed together. Molly rested her head on his bare chest and their legs were tangled together. She traced small circles on his chest as he gently stroked her hair.<p>

"So are you ever going to say what happened in the kitchen earlier?" he asked quietly.

"Wasn't planning on," she teased.

"Molly," he pleaded, curiously getting the better of him.

"Fine," she said, not being able to resist. "We were just talking about when you were injured… it just got a bit emotional. Remembering it and all, you know?"

"Oh," he said. "Sorry. I didn't realise."

"Don't worry," she said, tilting her head to kiss his lips softly.

A sombre mood hung in the air as they were both lost in their individual thoughts. Charles decided to change the subject to a happier one.

"Oh I didn't tell you – Sam's coming for the day tomorrow. Maybe we could go to Longleat? He's been begging me for weeks."

"Really?" Molly asked, excited. She had wanted to see Sam again since she first met him in Birmingham Hospital. She knew he was a huge part of Charles' life.

"Yeah," he said. "I mean you got on really well with my parents – May as well spend time with the whole family."

* * *

><p>The next morning, Charles left to go pick up Sam from Rebecca's while Molly stayed behind and helped clear up after breakfast. Charles' parents had left a short while ago to go visit some friends in Hampshire for a few days. Susan had hugged Molly tightly again, telling her to visit soon, and William had even offered her a short hug.<p>

"Oh Molly," Susan called, as she put her bag in the car. "We're hosting a charity gala next month. Love for you to come."

"Of course I will," Molly told her, even though she wasn't too sure what a gala was. She couldn't turn down an invite from his parents. She waved goodbye and shut the door behind her.

Molly was in a good mood today. She hummed along to Radio 1 as she danced around the kitchen, cleaning up as she went. She had put the event of a few weeks ago in the back of her mind, shut away next to the Afghan box.

Just as she washed the last plate, the door opened and lively chattering came from the hallway. Molly turned down the radio and smoothed her skirt, ready to see Sam again.

Sam and Charles walked into the kitchen together, Sam looking cuter than ever. Molly had never noticed how incredibly similar the two looked.

"Sam, you remember Molly?" Charles asked, crouching down to Sam's eye level.

Sam giggled and pointed at Molly. "Yeah. She's the funny one from the hospital."

"That's right," Charles said. "Remember what I said in the car? That she's very special to me and I care about her a lot."

"Yeah I know," Sam told his Dad, still looking at Molly. "Are you coming to the Zoo with us?"

Molly grinned at the two of them. "You betcha!"

* * *

><p>Molly had never been to Longleat before. In fact, she wasn't sure if she'd ever been to a zoo before. She made a mental note to ensure she took her younger siblings one day next summer to experience it, as it had been an amazing day. They had seen so many different animals, played together in the parks and had eaten lots of junk food.<p>

Molly was initially worried about Sam – it was so important he liked her. After all he was such a huge part of Charles' life. But she didn't have to worry. The two got on so well. Sam had even insisted Molly held his hand and not Charles as they walked through the park.

Charles smiled to himself as he drove the three of them home. The image of seeing his son and the woman he loved walk hand in hand… it made him so happy. Stopping at a red light, he turned his head to look at Molly. She was staring out the window, into the darkness of the countryside. He briefly wondered if they'd ever have children of their own. Molly caught his eye in the reflection of the window.

"What are you looking at?"

Charles smirked. "Nothing. Good day?"

"Yeah, I loved it," Molly told him. She lowered her voice and indicated to Sam, who dozed in the back seat. "I was worried he wouldn't like me."

"He adored you – I could tell. You're so good with kids."

"Probably 'cause Mum had so many of the little bleeders," Molly said, and Charles laughed.

They arrived back home a short while later, Sam stirring as they pulled up.

"Daddy?" he mumbled, as Charles picked him up out of the car seat.

"It's bed time, scamp," Charles told him, carrying him inside.

"Is Molly coming too?" Sam asked sleepily.

"Yes, she's coming too. You'll see her in the morning."

"Good," Sam mumbled, eyes closed.

Charles turned to Molly. "I'm just going to put him to bed. Maybe you can make some tea?"

Molly busied herself in the kitchen, preparing tea for them both. She decided to change into her pajamas herself while she waited for Charles to return. As she wandered down the hall, she heard voices coming from the room at the end. Molly bit her lip. It was bad to snoop but she couldn't help herself. She silently positioned herself outside the door.

"There you go, all tucked up," she heard Charles say.

"Thank you Daddy."

She heard footsteps and turned to hurry away; but then they stopped.

"Daddy?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to tell you I like Molly," she heard Sam say adorably, her heart swelling with joy at the words.

"You do? I'm glad. I like her too. She's very special to me."

"Mm. She's very pretty. And funny."

She heard Charles laugh.

"She is isn't she?"

"Will she be here a long time? I want her too."

Molly rested her head against the wall, closing her eyes, listening for Charles' answer.

"Yeah. She'll be with us for a long time. Now, bedtime."

Molly heard a bed creek and she moved quickly, dashing in the direction of Charles' grand bedroom.

He walked through the door a few minutes later, just as Molly was pulling on her oversized West Ham shirt. She smiled as he walked in.

"Alright?" she asked him casually, as if she hadn't just been spying on him, as he took his own shirt off. She had to take a breath to control herself at the sight of his toned body.

"I knew you were listening."

Molly looked away, blood rushing to her face with embarrassment.

"You think you could actually spy on someone who's been on four tours? Multiple secret missions?"

"Sorry," she managed, twisting her hands. "I didn't mean to snoop I just-"

Charles laughed, interrupting her. "It's fine love, really."

"You don't need to be so insecure," he told her, moving to stroke her face.

She shrugged, looking away.

"Sam adores you. My parents loved you; especially my mum. And as for me," he said, pausing to tilt her chin up so she looked into his eyes. "You know _I _love you."

"I know, you do," she told him. She took the hand from her chin and held it delicately in front of her. She leaned in for a sweet kiss. "And I love you too."

He squeezed her hand. "And that's all that matters."

* * *

><p>Hello again guys! Just a couple notes. I forgot to include Charles and Dave meeting last chapter and I felt like I couldn't include it in this one properly. I may go back and edit last chapter to include the meeting in full length. Also apologies not much happens in this chapter, I felt it was more of a filler chapter but I wanted to put in the interaction with Molly and his mum.<p>

Next chapter the story will develop. Teaser: our favourite couple run into problems with both of their exes. I'm predicting the rating will rise also just to warn you all! And I really really won't be able to write until end of November (I say this now) just because that's when all my deadlines are.

I just wanted to thank everyone for their amazing support and all the reviews/follows/favourites. They mean so much to me. Any ideas/opinions are always so welcome!


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